Moisture-modulated heatwaves
Tracking 3D evolution patterns and projected changes
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 15549564 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Qian Zhang (0009-0004-3866-2007, Wuhan University, corresponding author), Jiabo Yin (0000-0002-2305-8729, Wuhan University), Pan Liu (0000-0003-1278-2129, Wuhan University), Wenbin Zhu (0000-0003-1208-980X, Chinese Academy of Sciences), Xihui Gu (0000-0002-7414-5371, China University of Geosciences), Lei Gu (0000-0001-5119-3517, ETH Zurich) |
| Year | 2025 |
| Volume | 20 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 044037-044037 |
| Publication date | 2025-03-18 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Environmental Research Letters (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1748-9326 • E-ISSN: 1748-9326 |
| Publisher | IOP Publishing (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1088/1748-9326/adc1e5 |
| OpenAlex | W4408560338 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 54 |
Heatwaves stand as one of the most consequential manifestations of global climate change. Their severity intensifies dramatically when extreme temperatures coincide with high humidity, posing compound threats to human health and natural systems. Here, we employ a three-dimensional (latitude × longitude × time) connectivity framework to analyze moisture-modulated heatwaves through daily lethal heat stress indices from 1979 to 2023. We identify 1642 distinct events worldwide, revealing pronounced hemispheric asymmetry and characteristic regional propagation pathways. Over the past four decades, these heatwaves exhibited substantial intensification, with frequency rising by 12.26 events per decade and significant expansions in spatial extent and duration—despite an unexpected moderation in mean intensity. Multi-model ensemble projections indicate a transformative shift in heatwave characteristics throughout the 21st century, characterizing more frequent and prolonged events that manifest in increasingly localized patterns. Under high-emission scenarios, some regions may experience a threefold increase in event duration, with intensity potentially rising by 1.56 °C by the late 21st century. Our findings elucidate the complex dynamics of moisture-modulated heatwaves and highlight the critical importance of integrated temperature-humidity metrics for climate adaptation and risk mitigation in a warming world
Atmospheric sciences · Climatology · Geography · Meteorology · Moisture · Tracking (education · Aerogels and thermal insulation · Environmental Science · Geology
Increasing trends in regional heatwaves
Hot weather and heat extremes
The emergence of heat and humidity too severe for human tolerance
A modified Mann-Kendall trend test for autocorrelated data
Human-perceived temperature changes linked to local climate zones under extreme hot and cold weathers
Temperature and humidity based projections of a rapid rise in global heat stress exposure during the 21st century
Response of moist and dry processes in atmospheric blocking to climate change
Future socio-ecosystem productivity threatened by compound drought–heatwave events
| Citation velocity | historical |
|---|---|
| Highly cited | No |